Machine for stapling cartons



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I I MITCHELL H. SMAKA Ba/W '1) '1 United States Patent 3,531,020 MACHINE FOR STAPLING CARTONS Mitchell H. Smaka, Huntington, Ind., assignor to Textron, Inc., Providence, R.I., a corporation of Rhode Island Filed Sept. 4, 1968, Ser. No. 757,350 Int. C]. 13271? 7/06 US. Cl. 227-7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A carton stapling machine having a pressure plate which engages the carton adjacent end flaps to load the carton with a predetermined load and stapler heads which are advanced into engagement with outer end flaps while the carton is held by the pressure plate to staple end flaps together, resilience of the material of the carton loading the end flaps in tension.

This invention relates to a machine for closing cartons.

An object of this invention is to provide a machine which holds a carton with a predetermined load thereon while end flaps of the carton are stapled together.

Briefly, this invention provides a machine which includes a table over which there are plate members which can be raised to permit a carton on the table to slide thereunder and which can be lowered against end portions of an upper face of the carton with a predetermined load to hold the end flaps in position to receive staples. After the staples are positioned in the end flaps and the carton is removed from the machine, resilience of the carton holds the exposed end flaps in taut or tensioned position. Limit switches mounted on the machine start operation thereof when the carton is moved under the plates.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains from the following detailed description and the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a carton closing machine constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention with a carton mounted thereon, alternate positions of a carton and a carton pushing member of the machine being shown in dot-dash lines;

'FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation of the machine shown in FIG. 1 showing plates thereof in their extreme lowered position, parts of an entry table of the machine being broken away;

FIG. 3 is a view in section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 33 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view in section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 4--4 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of the machine shown in FIG. 1 with an entry table thereof removed, a carton being shown in association therewith, a raised position of the plates being shown in dot-dash lines;

FIG. 6 is a view in section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 6-6 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a view in section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 7--7 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a view in section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 88 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a view in section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 99 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a carton after stapling on the carton closing machine;

FIG. 11 is a view in side elevation of a carton holding plate and frame supporting same which is a part of the machine;

FIG. 12 is a view in section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 1212 in FIG. 11; and

'FIG. 13 is a schematic circuit diagram for the machine.

In the following detailed description and the drawings, like reference characters indicate like parts.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown a machine 20 which includes an entry table 21 and a main portion 22. The entry table 21 is supported in horizontal position by appropriate posts 23 (FIG. 2) and has an exposed horizontal upper face 24 on which a carton 25 ,(FIG. 1) can be positioned. The carton 25 can be advanced across the entry table 21 to a position 25' indicated in double-dot dash lines where one end of the carton engages an upright stop plate 26 mounted on the entry table 21. At this position the carton can be engaged by a pusher plate 27 which can be advanced from a position indicated in double-dot dash lines in FIG. 1 at 27' to a position indicated at 27" in dot-dash lines at which the carton is advanced to the position indicated at 25".

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pusher plate 27 is part of an angle-shaped member 29 having a horizontal flange 30 attached on a tongue 31 of a slide 32. The slide 32 includes a body 33 provided with outwardly extending flanges 34 and 36. The body 33 is slidably received in track members 37 and 38 (FIG. 3) which are mounted in a slot 39 in the entry table 21. Grooves 41 and 42 in the track members 37 and 38, respectively receive the flanges 34 and 36 for guiding the slide 32. A handle 42' is mounted on the slide for moving same. A stop bar 43 mounted in a well 43' in the entry table at an inner end of the slot 39 is engaged by a shoulder 44 (FIG. 4) of the slide 32 when the pusher plate is in the position shown in FIG. 4 and in dot-dash lines in FIG. 1. When the pusher plate is in this position, an adjustable switch actuator 46 (FIG. 4) mounted in a downwardly extending plug portion 47 of the slide 32 engages a push button 48 of a switch 49 which is mounted on a bracket 51 attached to the underside of the entry table 21 below the stop bar 43. The switch actuator 46 is mounted in a threaded opening 51' in the plug portion 47 and can be held in adjusted position by a nut 53 threaded thereon. The switch actuator is adjusted so that when the slide is in the FIG. 4 position with the shoulder 44 engaging the stop bar 43, the button 48 is depressed to actuate the switch 49.

When the carton 25 has been advanced to the position shown at 25" in dot-dash line in FIG. 1, it is in position to be engaged by carton holding or pressure plates 54 and 56 (FIGS. 2 and 5) which are engageable with end portions of an upper face 57 (FIG. 5) of the carton. The plates 54 and 56 are carried by piston rods 58 and 59, respectively, which are'actuated by cylinders 61 and 62, respectively. The plates can be raised to the position shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 5 to permit the carton to be advanced thereunder and can then be moved downwardly to apply a predetermined load on end portions of the face 57 of the carton. In FIG. 2, the extreme lowered position of the plates 54 and 56 is shown. The cylinders 61 and 62 are supported by frames 63 and 64 which are mounted on the main portion 22 of the machine.

The main portion 22 of the machine includes a hollow rectangular frame 66 made up of lengthwise frame members 67 and 68 (FIG. 1) and cross frame members 69 and 71. The rectangular frame 66 is supported on appropriate legs 72 (FIG. 2), 73 and 74. At a left hand end of the main portion 22 (FIG. 1) a main plate 75 is mounted on the rectangular frame 66 and is attached to the lengthwise frame members 67 and 68 and to the crosswise frame member 69 by fasteners 76.

On the main plate 75 is mounted a drive cylinder 78 which actuates a piston rod 79. A link 81 (FIG. 7) is attached to the piston rod 79 by means of a threaded projection 82 of the piston rod which projects into a threaded socket 83 in the link. A transverse pin 84 holds the piston rod 79 and the link 81 in assembled relation. The link 81 extends into a bore 86 in a block 87 and is attached thereto by a pin 88. The block 87 is attached to a sliding frame 89.

The sliding frame 89 includes a lower plate 91 (FIGS. 6 and 7), which is slidable across an upper face 92 (FIG. 6) of the main plate 75, and an upstanding plate 93 which is rigidly attached to the lower plate by triangular plates 94. The sliding frame is guided by tracks 96 attached to the main plate 75. The upstanding plate of the sliding frame is provided with transverse bores 97, one of which is shown in FIG. 7, which receive stud portions 98 of sliding stapler heads 99 (not shown in detail). Nuts 101 mounted on the stud portions hold the stapler heads in assembled relation with the upright plate 93. A depending bracket 102 is attached to the underside of the sliding frame 89 and extends through an opening 103 in the main plate 75. A transverse threaded bore 104 in the depending bracket 102 receives an adjustable switch actuator 106 which is held in position therein by nuts 107 and 108. The switch actuator 106 is engageable with a push button 109 of a switch 111, which is mounted on a bracket 112 attached to the underside of the main plate 75. The sliding frame 89 is movable between a retracted position illustrated in FIG. in which the push button 109 is released and the sliding stapler heads 99 (FIG. 7) are released from the carton 25 and an advanced position shown in FIGS. 1 and 7 in which the switch actuator 106 engages the push button 109 to actuate the switch 111 and the sliding stapler heads 99 engage an outer end flap 114 (FIG. 7) of the carton 25 to hold the outer flap 114 against a next inward flap 116 of the carton 25 so that actuation of the stapler heads 99 drives staples 117 (FIG. into the end flaps to close the ad jacent end of the carton as shown in FIG. 10.

Adjustable stapler heads 118 (FIG. 1) are mounted on an adjustment plate 119 which runs in tracks 121 and 122 mounted on the lengthwise frame members 67 and 68, respectively, the track 122 being shown in FIG. 9 mounted on lengthwise frame member 68. The adjustable stapler heads 118 are mounted on an upright plate 123 mounted on the adjustment plate 119. A bracket 124 (FIG. 8) is attached to the underside of the adjustment plate 119 and is provided with a threaded bore 126 which receives an externally threaded shaft 127. The shaft 127 is supported in a bearing 128 (FIG. 1) and in a thrust bearing 129 (FIG. 8). The thrust bearing 129 is mounted on a cross frame bar 131 which extends between the lengthwise frame members 67 and 68. A socket 132 in the thrust bearing 129 receives an end portion 133 of the shaft 127. An annular groove 134 in the end portion 133 receives a transverse pin 136 mounted in the thrust bearing 129 to hold the shaft 127 and the thrust bearing 129 in assembled relation. A crank 137 is provided at a free end of the shaft 127 for turning same.

When the machine is to be set up for closing ends of boxes of a particular or selected size, the crank 137 is turned to move the adjustment plate 119 and the adjustable stapler heads 118 to such a position that, when the sliding stapler heads 99 engage the exposed carton flap 114 at one end of the carton, the adjustable stapler heads 118 are in position for engaging an exposed flap at the other end of the carton so that staples can be driven into flaps at both ends of the carton at the same time.

At the same time when the staples are driven, the carton is held down by the carton holding plates 54 and 56 (FIGS. 2 and 5) as has already been pointed out. The carton rests on a stationary board 138 (FIG. I) mounted on the lengthwise frame members 67 and 68 and an adjustable board 139 mounted on the adjustment plate 119. A lower face 140 (FIG. 5) of the carton 25 rests on the boards 138 and 139 with the boards 138 and 139 underlying the carton holding plates 54 and 56, respectively, and supporting end portions of the lower face 140. As shown in FIG. 1, the frame 64, which supports the drive mechanism for the carton holding plate 56, is mounted on the adjustment plate 119. The frame 63, which supports the drive mechanism for the carton holding plate 54, is mounted on the main plate 75. The frames 63 and 64 are similar in construction, and only the frame 63 will be described in detail.

As shown in FIG. 11, the frame 63 includes upright tubular columns 221 and 222 supported on bottom plates 223 and 224, respectively. Triangular plates 226 connect the columns 221 and 222 to the bottom plates 223 and and 224. Horizontal cantilever frames 227 and 227 are mounted on the ends of the columns 221 and 222, respectively, and support a horizontal plate 228. Triangular plates 229 connect the columns 221 and 222 to the cantilever frames 226 and 227 to provide a rigid support for the horizontal plate 228. A lower end portion 231 of the cylinder 61 is mounted on the horizontal plate 228 with the piston rod 58 extending through an opening 232 in the horizontal plate 128.

The lower end of the piston rod 58 is provided with a circumferential slot 234. The carton holding plate 54 is mounted on the lower end portion of the piston rod 58. A pin 236 extends through walls of a socket 237 in a boss 238 mounted on the plate 54 and into the slot 234 to support the plate 54 for swinging about the axis of the piston rod 58. Stop bars 239 and 241 mounted on the plate 54 are engageable with the columns 221 and 222, respectively, in the manner the stop bar 239 is shown in FIG. 12, to limit swinging of the plate 54.

The operation of the machine will now be described with reference to FIG. 13, which shows electric and hydraulic connections of the machine schematically. Elec tric power is supplied by power leads 143 and 144. Operation of the machine is initiated by closing the switch 49, which is closed when the carton is pushed into position beneath the carton holding plates 54 and 56. Closing of the switch 49 sets in operation a time delay relay or switch 146, which closes a predetermined time after closing of the switch 49. Closing of the time delay relay 146 energizes a solenoid 147 through a circuit which includes leads 148 and 149, contacts of a second time delay relay 151, a lead 152 and contacts of a switch 153. The switch 153 is a safety or stop switch which restores the machine to an open position, which is normally the position of the machine before a carton is moved into place. Actuation of the solenoid 147 causes movement of a valve 154 from the position shown to its other position. Hydraulic fluid is supplied to the valve 154 from a source of fluid 156 through a pump 157 and a conduit 158.

Normally, the valve 154 delivers fluid under pressure through a conduit 161 to the lower end of the cylinder 61 so that the piston rod 58 and the carton holding plate 54 are normally held in raised position. The valve 154 also normally delivers fluid to a conduit 162 which is similarly connected to the lower portion of the cylinder 62 to hold the piston 59 and the carton holding plate 56 normally in raised position. When the solenoid 147 moves the valve 154 to its other position, fluid under pressure is introduced into the upper portion of the cylinder 61 through a conduit 163 to urge the piston rod 58 and the carton holding plate 54 downwardly. The valve 154, when in its other position, also delivers fluid to a conduit 167 which is similarly connected to the upper portion of the cylinder 62 to drive the piston rod 59 and the carton holding plate 56 downwardly into engagement with the upper face 57 (FIG. 5) of the upper panel 168 of the carton 25.

As shown in FIG. 5, the outer end flap 114 and an outer end flap 169 at the opposite end of the carton 25 are hinged to the upper panel 168. Next inward flaps are hinged to a lower panel 170, in the manner the next inward panel 116 is shown in FIG. 7. The carton holding plates 54 and 56 are urged downwardly with a predetermined load sufiicient to advance the end flaps downwardly against the natural resilience of the material of the carton, which can be corrugated board or the like, to load the carton in compression as the end flaps are stapled closed.

When the valve 154 (FIG. 13) is in its other position, fluid under pressure is also introduced through a conduit 171 to a pressure operated switch 172 which closes when a predetermined pressure is developed in the conduit 171. Closing of the pressure operated switch 172 energizes a solenoid 173 through a circuit which includes the contacts of the stop switch 153, the lead 152, the contacts of the time delay relay 151, the lead 149 and leads 174 and 176. Energizing of the solenoid 173 actuates a valve 177. The valve 177 controls the drive cyclinder 78, which actuates the sliding frame 89 (FIGS. 1 and 5) as heretofore described. Normally, fluid under pressure is introduced through the valve 177 (FIG. 13) to the right hand end of the drive cylinder 78 through a conduit 179 to urge the piston rod 79 and the sliding frame 89 to the left as shown in FIGS. 1, 5 and 13.

When the solenoid 173 moves the valve 177 to its other position, fluid under pressure is introduced into the left hand end of the cylinder 78 through a conduit 181, and the piston rod 79 and the sliding frame 89 are moved to the right to bring the stapler heads 99 into engagement with the end flap 114, as shown in FIG. 7, to hold the outer end flap 114 firmly against the next in- Ward end flap 116. In addition, the pressure of the stapler heads 99 against the end flap 114 at one end of the carton is sufiicient to insure that the outer end flap 169 at the other end of the carton is held by the stapler heads 118 against the next inward end flap at the other end of the carton.

When the valve 177 is in its other position, fluid under pressure is also introduced into a pressure actuated switch 183 (FIG. 13) through a conduit 184, which closes when pressure is supplied thereto. Then, when the sliding frame 89 reaches its innermost position, the switch 111 is closed. Closing of the switch 111 energizes a solenoid 186 (FIG. 13) through a circuit which includes a lead 187, contacts of the switch 111, a lead 188, contacts of the pressure operated switch 183, a lead 189, and a lead 190. Energizing of the solenoid 186 actuates a valve 191. When the valve 191 is moved from its normal position, as shown, to its other position, pressure is introduced into the stapler heads 99 and 118 through conduits 192 and 193 to cause the stapler heads to drive staples into the end flaps of the carton 25 to close the ends of the carton 25 as shown in FIG. 10. Closing of the switch 111 also initiates operation of the time delay relay 151. The contacts of the relay 151 open shortly after the stapler heads have operated. Opening of the contacts of the time delay relay 151 opens the circuits to the solenoids 147, 173 and 186 so that the valves 154, 177 and 191 return to their normal positions, the sliding frame 89 is moved back to the left, and the carton holding plates 54 and 56 are raised so that a next carton can be advanced into the machine.

Advancing of the next carton into the machine pushes the completed and stapled carton out of the machine and onto a conveyor 195 (FIG. 1) on which the carton is removed from the machine. When the carton is removed, natural resilience of the carton causes the upper panel to move upwardly when released to cause loading of the outer end flaps 114 and 169 in tension to be held in taut condition.

The carton stapling machine illustrated in the drawings and described above is subject to structural modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for closing an end of a generally rectangular carton having a pair of overlapping end flaps, which machine comprises a support for a face of the carton adjacent one of the end flaps, a pressure plate overlying the support in position for engaging an opposed face of the carton adjacent the other end flap of the pair, means for advancing the pressure plate toward the support to engage the carton to advance one of the end flaps crosswise of the other end flap of the pair and load the carton with a predetermined load, a stapler head, and means for advancing the stapler head into engagement with an outer one of the end flaps of the pair while the carton is held by the pressure plate to staple the end flaps together and close the end of the carton, resilience of the material of the carton loading the end flaps in tension. I

2. A machine as in claim 1 wherein there is a pusher plate advanceable crosswise of the support and engageable with the carton for advancing the carton into position underlying the pressure plate, and that means is associated with the pusher plate which initiates operation of the pressure plate advancing means when the pusher plate has advanced the carton into position for engagement with the pressure plate.

3. A machine as in claim 2 wherein the means for advancing the pressure plate is driven by fluid under pressure, a pressure operated switch is connected to the stapler head advancing means and arranged to initiate operation thereof, and the pressure operated switch is connected to the pressure plate advancing means so that, when fluid under pressure is introduced into the pressure plate advancing means, the pressure operated switch is actuated thereby to initiate advance of the stapler head.

4. A machine as in claim 2 wherein a switch is associated with the stapler head advancing means which is actuated when the stapler head is in position for engagement with the outer one of the end flaps and the switch is connected to stapler head actuating means to cause actuation of the stapler head actuating means when the stapler head reaches this position.

5. A machine for closing ends of a generally rectangular carton having pairs of overlapping end flaps at opposite ends thereof which comprises means for supporting a face of the carton adjacent each end of the carton, pressure plate means overlying the support means in position for engaging an opposed face of the carton adjacent ends thereof, means for advancing the pressure plate means toward the supporting means to engage the carton to advance one of the end flaps of each pair crosswise of the other associated end flap and load the carton with a predetermined load, a pair of opposed stapler heads, and means for advancing one of the stapler heads into engagement with an outer one of the end flaps of one pair to urge the outer one of the end flaps of the other pair into engagement with the other stapler head while the carton is held 'by the pressure plate means to staple 7 8 the end flaps of each pair together and close the ends of 3,181,730 5/1965 Schafroth 2277 the carton, resilience of the material of the carton loading 3,473,720 10/ 1969 Marquis et a1. 227-153 XR the end flaps in tension. 3,474,947 10/1969 Readyhough 227-453 XR References Cited r GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, JR., Primary Examiner 0 UNITED STATES PATENTS US. Cl- XR 2,544,499 3/1951 Hovey 227153 227 1 153 2,984,837 5/1961 Paxton et a1. 227-6 

